“Are you ready for Christmas?” It is a question I am hearing a lot of people ask me. I know that really what people are wondering are other questions. Have I finished my gift shopping? Did I send out Christmas cards? Is my tree up? Is my house decorated? Did I bake my Christmas cookies? Are the presents wrapped?
This year I have to confess I am not ready for Christmas. When you are on crutches, every one of these activities becomes close to impossible.
Have I finished my gift shopping? I have done very little shopping. It is hard to shop in the crowds when a leg is healing. It is also hard to justify shopping when you are laid off from your job. So, no shopping this year.
Did I send out Christmas cards? No. I struggle with the concept of writing letters telling everyone how great things are when the truth and the reality is, is that this was a hard year. Do people want to hear about how much pain the surgery was? Do people want to hear that I lost my job and am looking for another one? Do I really want to show off the family vacation? Is the point of the Christmas card to show how much I have accomplished this year? To do so with a hand that is still recovering from surgery seems impossible. So, no Christmas cards.
Is my tree up? Honestly, every year our family travelled to a tree farm to scope out the perfect tree, cut it and bring it home to be decorated in the most awesome fashion. This year however, my crutches make it impossible to venture out into the tree fields. The kids have said that if Mom can’t go, they don’t want a tree because what was important was the activity we spent as a family. So this year, there is no tree.
Is my house decorated? To this question, I can say, “A little”. Some lights went up. My daughter did dig out the nativity set and Jesus has a place of honor in our family room. But that is it. I am sure that my house lacks the décor of many Christmas enthusiasts.
Did I bake my Christmas cookies? Going back to the crutches… ahh no. But I look forward to Christmas eve and spending time with my daughter cooking. I am grateful to the grocery store which has a nice selection of cookies. So, is my baking done? No.
Are the presents wrapped? Well, how do I answer? Since there was no shopping, there are no presents.
Which gives me a lot of time to consider what is important about Christmas and to consider the real question, “Are you ready for Christmas?” It is a question God asks people every Christmas and most people ignore the question.
Am I ready for Christmas? Am I ready to make room in my heart, Christ’s home, for Jesus? Am I ready to let Jesus be the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords in my life? Am I ready for Jesus to birth a new life, a new hope and a new dream in me?
Am I ready for Christmas? Am I ready for a supernatural encounter? Am I ready to experience the ministry of angels? Am I ready to listen to the messengers of God? Am I ready to experience the glory of heaven? Am I ready to experience the terror that comes realizing that I in my sin am standing before the holiness and purity of God?
Are you ready for Christmas? Am I ready to begin searching like the shepherds for the manifest presence of God? Am I ready to embrace God when I find Him, even when He is out of my box? Am I willing to search every manger and every corner until I too find Him and can bow before Him and worship?
Are you ready for Christmas? Am I ready to leave my life and search for God like the Magi? Am I ready to give my material value to God and to take care of the people of God and to promote the message of God like the Magi? Am I ready to see that how I give is an act of worship?
Christmas is about us getting touched and transformed. Christmas is God is now with us. Christmas is about Jesus.
This year my Christmas preparations have focused more on HIM. Jesus, I make room in my life for you. Jesus, you are my King and you are my Lord. Jesus, give me new life, new hope and new dreams. Jesus, I want every supernatural encounter that you want me to have. Jesus, I want to worship you. Jesus, I want to seek you. Jesus, I will give of all that I am.
Am I ready for Christmas? I guess I am.
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
